Also mentioned in the June 2021 PAMI newsletter, we’re looking for sponsors to cover $3300 of construction in San Jose, Bulusan. The PAMI board agreed to move forward with this project after local church people promised a financial counterpart and secured a written agreement letter concerning transfer of an 8 meter x 8 meter lot (64 sq m). The local church people proposed to supply P16,000 = $333 of already collected tithes and offerings towards construction, and to pay for half the lot (P19,200 = $400) by installments. We are thankful that the owners of the lot are only charging P19,200 for 32 sq m, which is a reasonable price of P600 per sq m (i.e. only $1.20 per square foot), and donating the other half. To speed up the process, the PAMI board decided to temporarily use PAMI reserve funds until designated funds get contributed. With an initial release of $1100 of PAMI reserve funds, lot clearing and work on the foundation/pillars commenced the first week of June 2021.

San Jose Bulansan Church Proposal of April 12, 2021 shows a cost of P120,000 = $2500 for a basic 5 m x 7 m church building. Then it was estimated that P35,000 = $730 more would be needed to increase the size to include parsonage quarters, electricity, and a comfort room.

Here are some pictures showing construction progress so far (as of July 23). Note that plans changed a bit from the floor plan shown in the June 2021 PAMI newsletter. Ptr Lorenz writes: “the carpenter suggested (which are also prayed by our church members) that it is much better to make the main church building to be fully concreted and the pastoral quarter which is the smaller one will be the half concrete. The reason for this is to make a stand against typhoons and storms when it comes, since that we are located in higher grounds which strong winds are usually struck during rainy and typhoon seasons here in the Philippines and to prevent more spending when it comes to repair. Its been 12 days construction only because there are many days that the construction workers must take rest due to fever they experienced for the last few weeks.” They are intending to add the cement flooring soon. And then to add an extension on the back side of the church (rather than the side of the church), for the pastoral quarters. Some of the loose lumber shown in the pictures are eventually meant for the pastoral quarters.

Below is the the written and signed lot agreement, photo of the lot owners (red and green shirts), the San Jose church members, and shots of the lot (in a flat open field, next to a road).

Here are some photos showing initial construction progress:

Here are some other pictures from Pastor Lorenz of Bible study every Tuesday in brgy. Sapngan and Sabang of Bulusan. So this shows that ministry is also ongoing in other parts of Bulusan than the San Jose barangay.

For recent background on Pastor Lorenzo Fugen’s ministry in San Jose, Bulusan, please see the following:

Bulusan church report for 2nd quarter 2021

April 25, 2021 Additional Lot Information

Bulusan church report for 1st quarter 2021

Bulusan church report for 1st quarter 2020

For older information on how the ministry in San Jose got started:

Here are some notes from early 2019

Here is a blurb from the U.S. PAMI board’s prayer list from Jan 2019: New outreach in San Jose, Bulusan (7-8 families that are relatives of Nida Rivera) started in November 2018 and headed by Ptr Lorenz, with other PAMI workers coming to help out too.  Already having intercessory prayer on Tuesday nights and having worship in a furniture shop on Sunday afternoons, but a member is offering part of their lot to put up a nipa chapel.  Nida is a former PAMI worker that referred us to there being interest in San Jose for establishing ministry there. Nida said “needs a thorough warfare because there is a witchcraft who inflict sickness in that area..”

Note that the nipa chapel mentioned above was just a temporary arrangement. Another place was then made available. But when the real owners (vs the tenants that were part of the church) had relatives that needed use of it during COVID, they went back to meeting in homes. Now we are constructing a more permanent place for church members to meet. This will also be the new place where Ptr Lorenz lives, so that we don’t have to keep paying $40 per month rent for a place in Sapngan Bulusan.

For further reference, here is a previous blog post about Ptr Lorenzo Fugen in Bulusan.